Container closure



March 4, 1941. c. A. RAUH CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Dec. 24, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR flornelius A. Rauh g m/m I ATTORNEYS March 4, 1941. c, A, RAUH 2,234,0 4

CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Dec. '24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR @azrnzlius A W $7566 fiy ATTORNEYS c tainer indicated by the numeral I.

Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES CONTAINER CLOSURE Cornelius A. Bank, Akron, Ohio, assignor, by mesnc assignments, to The General Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 24, 1937, Serial No. 181,538

7 Claims.

This invention relates to closure devices for containers, and more particularly to devices of this character which are for use in connection with containers formed of material which is not 5 advantageously threaded to secure a cap, such for example as a rubber container for acids and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide a container closure of relatively simple design and inexpensive to manufacture, which affords a tight seal for .the opening of a container-and which has its essential elements removable from a container so that it may be successively used on a plurality of containers.

'5 Suitableembodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings which show particular combinations and arrangements of parts.

Figure 1 is a top or plan view partly in section and with parts broken away, illustrating the closure as applied to the neck member of an acid container or the like;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken partially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective illustration of one of the 35 segmental threaded holding elements used in the closure construction described; .and

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention.

30 The closure illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive is shown as applied to a container for corrosive materials such as acids. Preferably the container construction is designed so that the closure may be applied to one of the heads of the con- An upstanding neck member 2 is formed on the head I and has a central axial aperture 3 extending therethrough and communicating with the interior of the container. This neck member is substaniO' tially cylindrical in shape and at its upper exft'remity has formed thereon a peripheral radially extending shoulder 4. There is thus provided between the radial shoulder 4 and the head I of the container a channel or groove 5 which ex- 45 tendscircumferentially about the neck member 2.

Received in the channel 5 are a plurality of segmental holding elements 6. These holding elements seat against the neck member 2 at the bottom of the annular groove 5 and are of suffi- 0 cient thickness to extend a substantial distance radially beyond the peripheral marginal edge of the shoulder 4. It is preferable to form the holding elements and neck member 2 so that the former cannot slide circumferentially about the 55 latter. This may be accomplished by providing axially extending ribs 1 on the neck member 2 arranged crosswise of the channel 5. A suitable location for these ribs has been found to be between the abutting ends of the segmental holding element 6. Accordingly, the ends of the element have portions removed as indicated at 8 to accommodate the ribs 1.

As shown in the drawings, the holding elements preferably abut one another to provide a substantially continuous collar extending circumferen- 10 tially about the neck 2. It is contemplated, however, that for certain applications the ribs I may be made considerably wider than shown, so that the ends of the holding elements 6 do not abut one another but may be separated substantial distances. All of the holding elements 6 have their external circumferential surfaces formed with threads 9 which cooperatively afford threads extending continuously and circumferentially about the neck member 2. 20

A cap Ill fits over the end of the neck member 2 across the opening of the aperture 3, thus closing and sealing the container. Preferably, the cap is cup-shaped, having a depending annular flange I2 formed on its peripheral marginal edge. This flange is internally threaded at I4 so that it may be screwed onto the holding elements 6. Desirably, the outer surface of the flange I 2 may be knurled as indicated at I5 to facilitate the tightening and loosening of the cap. The internal diameter of the flange I2 is suificiently greater than that of the shoulder 4 on the neck member 2 so that in applying the cap to close the opening 3 there is no engagement between the threads I4 and shoulder 4. Accordingly, the securing of the cap to the neck member 2 is solely through the holding element 6.

As previously mentioned, the holding elements are seated in the annular groove or channel 5.

They are restrained against axial movement on .40,

the neck 2 by the head I of the container and the radially extending shoulder 4 of the neck. Thus, by means of the threads 9 and I4 the cap I0 may be tightened down upon the end of the neck to securely seal the opening 3. When the cap is .45 in this position the holding elements 6 are supported between the neck 2 and circumferential flange I2 of the cap to prevent their becoming dislodged or displaced. In this tightening of the cap there may be a slight deformation of the end .59 of the neck 2 and the shoulder 4 in the event that these parts are formed of plastic or resilient deformable material. This action is desirable and beneficial, since the sealing action is improved and the area of contact between the cap .55

2 and 'neck may be increased. In addition, the neck 2 is supported by the holding elements 8 which. are seated in abutting relationship therewith. In tightening or loosening the cap ill the ribs I, engaging with the transverse cutaway portions or grooves 8 in the ends of the holding element 6, prevent the'latter from moving circumrerentially about the neck.

When the cap I is removed from the container it is desirable to provide means for preventing the holding elements 6 from becoming displaced from the groove or channel 5. This is accomplished by an annular band 16 which surrounds the neckand holding elements. Preferably this band is elastic in character, such for example as a rubber band. It is slightly distended when applied about the holding elements so that they are compressed and urged against the bottom of the groove 5. If desired, this band may be of slightly greater width than the distance between the head I of the container and the marginal edge of the flange l2 of the cap when the latter is applied to close the opening 3. Thus the band l6 will be slightly compressed between the flange l2 and head of the container, to afford a secondary sealbetween the cap and container and prevent foreign matter such as dirt and dust from reaching the threads 9 and I 4. This secondary seal may be particularly eifective if the band 6 is made of a relatively gumlike rubber.

It is contemplated that closures of this character will be applied to containers manufactured with the head I and neck 2 integrally formed of the same plastic composition such as rubber. Additionally, if .a corrosion-resisting lining i1 is provided for the interior of the container it is intended that this lining shall be extended longitudinally through the opening or aperture 3 to the end thereof and then radially over the end of the neck member 2 to the peripheral margin of the shoulder 4. In this event a similar lining 20 will also be applied to the interior surface of the cap l0 so that a complete corrosion resisting lining will be afforded the container. The portion i9 overlying the end of the neck 2 is in contact with the lining 20 of the cap Ill for a relatively large extent and the sealing is increased because of the relatively soft character of the corrosionresisting lining.

It will be apparent that a container closure of the character described above will be of advantage in numerous applications, particularly when applied to containers which are construct-.

ed of relatively soft yieldable material which cannot be satisfactorily threaded to retain other types of closures. The parts of the closures are arranged to confine and support the neck container opening so that the latter will not collapse.

Furthermore, in the event that the particular container to which the closure is originally applied should become damaged or otherwise unfit for use, the several parts of the closure may be removed therefrom and used on another.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is illustrated a modified con Upstanding bosses or stops 25 are formed on the'head i or secured. thereto by vulcanization and engage the bolts 22 so as to prevent rotation of the holding elements 6.

An extension 26 projecting radially from a central portion ofv each of the holding elements 6 is disposed against the head ifof the container and'is formed with an aperture 21 so that shipping tags may be tied thereto. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the extensions 26 may be diametrically opposed to one another on opposite sides of the neck 2 of the container so that a wire seal of well known construction may be placed across the cap ill to seal the container, since the closure cannot then be removed without breaking the wire seal. When used for this purpose the ends of the wire seal are'passed through the apertures 21 on opposite sides of the cap and then twisted together and sealed over the top thereof.

In addition to holding the elements 6 against rotation the stops 25 protect the closure from injury and if desired for this purpose a multiplicity of the stops 25 may be provided in addition to those shown,' all being located at substantially equal radial distances from the axis of the neck 2 and disposed outside the peripheral outline of the cap i0.

Other modes of utilizing the principles of the .invention are contemplated and may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention, change being made in the details of construction shown and described as desired, it being understood that the particular embodiments shown in the drawings and set forth in the specification are given for purposes of explanation and illustration.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a container having a protruding self sustaining neck member of resilient deformable material formed thereon and an opening through said member communicating with the interior of the container, a closure device comprising holding elements stiiTer than said neck member disposed against the outside of the neck member, a cap over an end of the neck member to close the opening, said cap having an annular flange which embraces the elements to retain the latter against the member, interfitting formations on the elements and cap for securing the cap in embracing position, and 4 a resilient band embracing the elements and neck member to independently retain the elements against the neck member upon removal of the cap. I

'2. In combination with a,container having a protruding neck member formed thereon and an opening through said member communicating with the interior of the'container, a closuredevice comprising holding elements disposed against the outside of the neck member, a cap over an end of the neck member to close the opening, said cap having an annular flange which embraces the elements to retain the latter against the neck member, interfitting formations on the elements and cap for securing the cap in embracing position, a deformable and removable band embracing the elements and neck member to independently retain the elements against the member upon removal of the cap, and a peripheral shoulder on thecap flange engageable with the deformable bandto compress the latter and eifect a seal therewith.

3. A closure construction for a self-sustaining deformable rubber container comprising a substantially cylindrical self-sustaining deformable rubber neck member integral with the rubber of the container, an opening through the neck member communicating with the interior of the container, a radial circumferential shoulder formed about the neck member by the material of the container, a laterally projecting rubber flange on the end of the neck, a segmental holding element removably disposed against the outside of the neck and between said flange and said radial shoulder formed by the container, the element having opposite side edges in engagement with the flange and the container shoulder to resist axial movement of the element with respect to the neck, a cap over the flanged end of the neck member to close the opening through the neck, a flange on the cap overlying the element, and interfltting formations of: the element and cap flange for securing the cap on the neck, said interfitting formations being arranged for progressive tightening of the cap to effect a deformation of the neck flange, thereby effecting a fluid tight seal between the cap and neck flange.

4. A closure construction for a self-sustaining deformable rubber container having a relatively thin lining of corrosion-resistant material, comprising a substantially cylindrical self-sustaining deformable rubber neck member integral with the rubber of the container, an opening through the neck member communicating with the interior of the container, a laterally projecting rubber flange on the end of the neck, a relatively thin lining of corrosion-resistant material integral with the container lining and extending continuously over the walls of the opening through the neck and radially over the rubber flange at the end of the neck, a segmental holding element removably disposed against the outside of the neck between the neck flange and the container, a cap over the flanged end of the neck to close the opening, a corrosion-resistant lining inside the cap at the end thereof which closes the opening, said cap lining having circumferential contact with the radial portion of the neck lining disposed over said flange, a flange on the cap disposed in overlying relation with respect to the holding element, and interfitting formations on the element and cap flange for progressively tightening the cap against the neck flange, said cap and holding element being arranged, on progressive tightening thereof, to deform the neck flange and tightly compress the corrosion-resistant lining overlying the neck flange against the corrosion-resistant lining of the cap to seal the opening.

5; In combination with a container having a elements about the neck member, a cap over an I end of the neck memberto close the opening, said. cap having 'an annular flange which embraces the elements to, retain the latter against the member and to draw the spaced ends of the elements together around the resilient neck and against the opposite sides of the rib, and interfltting formations on the elements and cap for securing the cap in embracing position.

6. A closure construction for a container comprising a substantially cylindrical neck member integral with the container and havingan opening therethrough in communication with the interior of the container, holding elements embracing the neck, said elements having their ends in abutting relation, fastening means securing said ends together, protruding formations on the container engageable with the said fastening means only, to prevent rotation of the holding elements on the neck member, a cap over the end of the neck member to close the opening, and interfitting formations on the elements and cap to secure the cap on the neck.

7. A closure construction for a container comprising a substantially cylindrical deformable and resilient neck member integral with the container and having an opening therethrough in communication with the interior of the container, a. radially directed circumferentially extending shoulder formed about the neck member by the material of the container, a laterally projecting flange on the end of the neck, an axially disposed rib formed on the neck and integrally joined to the neck flange and container shoulder, holding elements disposed against the outside of the neck between the flange and shoulder, said elements having their ends spaced from one another abutting against the rib, a cap over the flanged end of the neck to close the opening, and interfitting formations on the holding elements and cap to secure the cap on the neck and to draw the spaced ends of the elements together around the resilient neck and against the opposite sides of the rib.

CORNELIUS A. RAUH. 

